Jump to content

Recommended Posts

But Louisa - there isn't a national bread shortage - our local Coop could always be ordering more if their supply is regularly running out before customers' needs can be fulfilled. It's their bad on this. Local shops are just as much legitimate customers as you, with just as much right to buy their bread where they want to. Just as a large family may need to buy more than someone living on their own. I don't think local sandwich shops are exactly coining it - to equate making a profit with greed without any knowledge of what level of profit being made is absurd. If they didn't make a profit they would go out of business. If buying from the Coop what you need is an act of selfishness, then I accuse you of selfishness for buying (or even trying to buy) what you need from the Coop. Every time you buy a loaf you are selfishly depriving someone else of the possibility of buying one. Hang your head in shame!

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DulwichFox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> >

> > Marcia, you will get very little joy from

> people

> > on EDF.

>

> Some have Shares in Pubs in and around the

> > area.

>

> > Some own local businesses.

> >

>

>

>

> What on earth have either of those things got to

> do with the Co-op apparently failing to understand

> supply and demand and hence failing to exercise

> basic control over their stock?

>

> Care to explain?



No. Self explanitory .


Happy Christmas. :)


Foxy

The other week we had someone moaning that a supermarket wouldn't sell her 50 cartons of soy milk, or whatever it was. You can't have it both ways! Either supermarkets impose limits on purchases, or they let you buy whatever you like. You can't please everyone.



i*Rate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> They don't go to the Brickhouse Bakery though, at

> ?5 a loaf, they'd be off their loaf - Gettit!


Actually some caf?s do use Brickhouse bread - e.g. Anderson on Bellenden Rd. I suspect the ones that use 75p Co-op loaves (assuming this uh-mazing tale is actually true) are of the traditional/greasy spoon variety... which no doubt you will find Louisa praising as salt-of-the-earth blah blah blah on some other thread...

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The other week we had someone moaning that a

> supermarket wouldn't sell her 50 cartons of soy

> milk, or whatever it was. You can't have it both

> ways! Either supermarkets impose limits on

> purchases, or they let you buy whatever you like.

> You can't please everyone.

>

>

> i*Rate Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > They don't go to the Brickhouse Bakery though,

> at

> > ?5 a loaf, they'd be off their loaf - Gettit!

>

> Actually some caf?s do use Brickhouse bread - e.g.

> Anderson on Bellenden Rd. I suspect the ones that

> use 75p Co-op loaves (assuming this uh-mazing tale

> is actually true) are of the traditional/greasy

> spoon variety... which no doubt you will find

> Louisa praising as salt-of-the-earth blah blah

> blah on some other thread...



Jeremy no one, including me, is making any assumptions about the destination of these bulk bought loaves of bread. All we have been told is, various eateries are buying up bread and selling it on for a profit at the expense of the individual bread consumer. I don't care if it's a greasy spoon or a yummy mummy haunt, all I know is the OP and many others are unable to visit a local supermarket to buy this item because businesses are buying up stock meant for regular customers, not businesses. I don't understand what's so difficult to understand here? It's Christmas, and this level is selfishness is totally out of character with this festive season of the year.


Louisa.

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> - our local Coop could always be ordering more if

> their supply is regularly running out before

> customers' needs can be fulfilled. It's their bad

> on this.


I think it's a little trickier than that.


Firstly, we don't know how 'regular' demand is, how much it varies on a day-by-day basis, or what factors affect it, or the lag between a co-op order being put in and stuff arriving in the store. If it's volatile, then what 'ordering more' would mean is that the co-op would be taking on, with no guarantee of any return, one of the risks that the relevant businesses should be managing for themselves.


Secondly, a 75p loaf is likely to be a loss-leader, and selling more of it may simply lose the store more money.


Thirdly, the idea of a loss-leader is to tempt customers, and their grocery budgets, into the store. If all, or most, gets bought up by nearby businesses, the point of the loss-leader is spoilt.


Fourthly, if the store, or the lorries, are full of bread, that means less truck/shelf-space for profitable or popular things, and ED customers would be the first to complain if they ran out of emu milk or chi-chi beans.


Fifthly, the ultimate aim of the store is to keep retail customers, who also buy profitable things, happy. Allowing the actions of business customers, who are resistant to the up- and cross-selling messages, to make the co-op's retail customers less happy is not a recipe for long-term success.


So, although they could order more of the bread, and thus satisfy the simplistic dictates of countless economics and MBA courses, to do so would be unwise. It would as if a farmer, faced with a plague of rabbits, decided to buy and farm more land to make up the losses, rather than invest in a shotgun.

Burbage Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It would as if a farmer, faced

> with a plague of rabbits, decided to buy and farm

> more land to make up the losses, rather than

> invest in a shotgun.


Didn't you see Watership Down ?


However, As I said right up the top - Co-Ops Bread page gives the impression they'll never run out


http://www.co-operativefood.co.uk/groceries/about-our-food/our-bread/

We don't really know anything. Frankly, the Co-op staff my be making assumptions about the breads end destination. I've gone in and bought a load of bread before when I'm having a kids party and making lot's of sandwiches for example. The Co-op is there to sell food, they aren't there to question it's use.

Assuming for a minute however, that a cafe is buying co-op bread -Either it is using the shop as it's main supplier of bread (in which case, co-op ought to be able to predict the demand), or they're using it in instances where they've unexpectedly run out (which seems perfectly reasonable to me). Either way, I can't see how co-op is meant to police bread usage,or deny service. There are lot's of other shops on the Lane where you can get generic sliced white bread.

Fundamentally, I am willing to bet with 100% certainty that I could walk down Lordship Lane right now and purchase some sliced white bread. I cannot believe there is anything so exceptional about the Co-op brand of mass produced, heavily processed sliced white that makes it necessary to get upset at having to fall back on a substitute.

I would also bet however, with fairly high certainty, that at most times I would find the co-op fully stocked with their own brand sliced white.

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sue Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > DulwichFox Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> >

> > >

> > > Marcia, you will get very little joy from

> > people

> > > on EDF.

> >

> > Some have Shares in Pubs in and around the

> > > area.

> >

> > > Some own local businesses.

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> > What on earth have either of those things got

> to

> > do with the Co-op apparently failing to

> understand

> > supply and demand and hence failing to exercise

> > basic control over their stock?

> >

> > Care to explain?

>

>

> No. Self explanitory .

>

> Happy Christmas. :)

>




Er, no it isn't "Self explanitory" (sic) so I guess your response means you can't explain it.


Happy Christmas to you too :))

Burbage Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Penguin68 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > - our local Coop could always be ordering more

> if

> > their supply is regularly running out before

> > customers' needs can be fulfilled. It's their

> bad

> > on this.

>

> I think it's a little trickier than that.

>

> Firstly, we don't know how 'regular' demand is,

> how much it varies on a day-by-day basis, or what

> factors affect it, or the lag between a co-op

> order being put in and stuff arriving in the

> store. If it's volatile, then what 'ordering more'

> would mean is that the co-op would be taking on,

> with no guarantee of any return, one of the risks

> that the relevant businesses should be managing

> for themselves.

>

> Secondly, a 75p loaf is likely to be a

> loss-leader, and selling more of it may simply

> lose the store more money.

>

> Thirdly, the idea of a loss-leader is to tempt

> customers, and their grocery budgets, into the

> store. If all, or most, gets bought up by nearby

> businesses, the point of the loss-leader is

> spoilt.

>

> Fourthly, if the store, or the lorries, are full

> of bread, that means less truck/shelf-space for

> profitable or popular things, and ED customers

> would be the first to complain if they ran out of

> emu milk or chi-chi beans.

>

> Fifthly, the ultimate aim of the store is to keep

> retail customers, who also buy profitable things,

> happy. Allowing the actions of business customers,

> who are resistant to the up- and cross-selling

> messages, to make the co-op's retail customers

> less happy is not a recipe for long-term success.

>

> So, although they could order more of the bread,

> and thus satisfy the simplistic dictates of

> countless economics and MBA courses, to do so

> would be unwise. It would as if a farmer, faced

> with a plague of rabbits, decided to buy and farm

> more land to make up the losses, rather than

> invest in a shotgun.




Crikey, Burbage, don't bring such common sense into this thread :))


Some posters won't be able to cope with it :))

I am shocked at how anyone could possibly justify a once publicly owned supermarket, selling bread stocks en mass to local private businesses. It's utter madness. It is deprving some people (especially elderly folk) of being able to buy their favourite loaf in a convenient location. Imagine if I didn't have my car, I'd be stuffed living all way over near Barry Road and having to walk to FHR to hopefully get my favourite loaf. Sometimes I think I am the only sane one on this forum, some bizarre comments above, for goodness sakes. Bonkers!


Louisa.

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I am shocked at how anyone could possibly justify

> a once publicly owned supermarket, selling bread

> stocks en mass to local private businesses. It's

> utter madness. It is deprving some people

> (especially elderly folk) of being able to buy

> their favourite loaf in a convenient location.

> Imagine if I didn't have my car, I'd be stuffed

> living all way over near Barry Road and having to

> walk to FHR to hopefully get my favourite loaf.

Sometimes I think I am the only sane one on this

forum, some bizarre comments above, for goodness

sakes. Bonkers!



Louisa.


Come on Lou.. That's a bit unfair..


Foxy ;-)

about 8 years ago I was in the LL Co-op's previous incarnation (Somerfield?) I saw one of 90s kids favourites Trevor and Simon at the customer service till complaining that he'd been charged full price for a baguette that had been marked down. It was disheartening that the once loved entertainer was now quite literally on the bread line.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Does anyone know when the next SNT meeting is? I am fed up with my son being mugged on East Dulwich Grove! 
    • The issue must be everywhere at the moment. I was visiting a friend last week in Bermondsey, think we were walking  down Linton Rd & we dodged 7 dog poos. It was disgusting. 
    • Thanks for your message — I actually took the time to look into what CityHive does before posting my original comment, and I’d encourage anyone with questions to do the same. Yes, the Companies House filings are overdue — but from what I’ve gathered, this seems likely to be an accountant or admin issue, not some sign of ill intent. A lot of small, community-based organisations face challenges keeping up with formalities, especially when they’re focused on immediate needs like food distribution. Let’s not forget CityHive is a not-for-profit, volunteer-powered CIC — not a corporate machine. As for the directors, people stepping down or being replaced is often about capacity or commitment — which is completely normal in the voluntary and community sector. New directors are sometimes appointed when others can no longer give the time. It doesn’t automatically mean bad governance — it just means people’s circumstances change. CityHive’s actual work speaks volumes. They buy most of the food they distribute — fresh produce, essential groceries, and shelf-stable items — and then deliver it to food banks, soup kitchens, and community projects across London. The food doesn’t stay with CityHive — it goes out to local food hubs, and from there, directly to people who need it most. And while yes, there may be a few paid staff handling logistics or admin, there’s a huge volunteer effort behind the scenes that often goes unseen. Regular people giving their time to drive vans, sort donations, load pallets, pack food parcels — that’s what keeps things running. And when people don’t volunteer? Those same tasks still need to be done — which means they have to be paid for. Otherwise, the whole thing grinds to a halt. As the need grows, organisations like CityHive will inevitably need more support — both in people and funding. But the bigger issue here isn’t one small CIC trying to make ends meet. The real issue is the society we live in — and a government that isn’t playing its part in eradicating poverty. If it were, organisations like CityHive, The Felix Project, City Harvest, FareShare, and the Trussell Trust wouldn’t need to exist, let alone be thriving. They thrive because the need is growing. That’s not a reflection on them — it’s a reflection on a broken system that allows people to go hungry in one of the richest cities in the world. If you're in doubt about what they’re doing, go check their Instagram: @cityhivemedia. You’ll see the real organisations and people receiving food, sharing thanks, and showing how far the impact reaches. Even Southwark Foodbank has received food from CityHive — that alone should speak volumes. So again — how does any of this harm you personally? Why spend time trying to discredit a group trying to support those who are falling through the cracks? We need more people lifting others up — not adding weight to those already carrying the load.
    • Well, this is very disappointing. Malabar Feast  has changed its menu again. The delicious fish curry with sea bass no longer exists. There is now a fish dish with raw mango, which doesn't appeal. I had dal and spinach instead, which was bland (which I suppose I could/should have predicted). One of my visitors had a "vegetable Biriani" which contained hardly any vegetables. Along with it came two extremely tiny pieces of poppadom in a large paper bag.   This was embarrassing, as I had been singing Malabar's praises and recommending we ordered from there. The other mains and the parathas were OK, but I doubt we will be ordering from there again. My granddaughters wisely opted for Yard Sale pizzas, which were fine. Has anybody else had a similar recent poor (or indeed good!)  experience at Malabar Feast?
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...